


Minimal Loss... Major Heartache

by a1_kitkat



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, Established Relationship, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pre-Relationship, Reunion Sex, Season/Series 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 14:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16199480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: Episode Tag for Season 14 Episode 1 - 300Alvez takes Reid home after his ordeal and intends to stay with him but a surprise guest ruins his plans and his protectiveness of Reid begins to get the better of him





	Minimal Loss... Major Heartache

The entire team was still visibly shaken by how close they'd come to losing Reid but aside from JJ, the rest of them were trying their best to put on a brave face though none were trying as hard as Luke. He spent the majority of the short flight trying not to stare at the young genius but the bruises on his face were too visible to ignore and he was certain Reid winced whenever he moved. He wanted to approach, the ask for himself if he really was okay but he didn't want to come across as too pushy so he remained in his seat, just watching him.

The jet landed and the usual argument broke out over whether to go home for some rest or head straight to the office. Luckily Reid was tired enough to admit he was beat and asked for the morning off. Luke was quick to offer to drive him home, beating out JJ as she lived in the opposite direction. Reid smiled a grateful smile and followed Alvez to his car. The traffic was light as it was still early so it took an incredibly short amount of time to reach Reid's apartment. He stopped the car but didn't unlock the door immediately as he wanted to take a moment to talk.

"Reid, I have to ask" he began "are you sure you're okay?"  
"I'm fine, Luke" Reid replied as he rubbed his eyes.  
It was a sign of how tired he was that he called Alvez by his first name. Luke couldn't help smiling to himself, he liked the way Reid said his name as it made his heart skip a beat.

"You were kidnapped" he said "and beaten, almost killed"  
"Not the first time that's happened to me" Reid assured him in a casual tone. "Probably won't be the last"  
"Reid, I was genuinely scared for you. Garcia was a mess"

Reid turned in the seat and looked at Alvez.  
"You might not believe me" he began "but it's kind of a relief to know this all went back to Cyrus... That it wasn't just some random occurance... But it's also scary to think they spent years killing all those people and the plan all along was kill me last"

Alez reached for Reid's hand but the younger man shifted away, be it on purpose or because he hadn't noticed Alvez wasn't sure.

"Can I... uh... May I come in for a bit?" Alvez asked him "I don't think you should be alone right now"  
"I'll be fine" Reid assured him.  
"Reid"  
"What?" Their tones had both turned dark.

"You told me about Cyrus once before" Alvez began carefully "what happened immediately after that case... between you and Hotch" he didn't miss the tears that formed in Reid's eyes "he's not here now and I don't want you to be alone... thinking on it"  
"Hotch and I were together a long time after that"  
"I know... I know he helped you through some rough times and I don't want you to feel that you have to be alone for them now. We're all here for you, Reid"  
"And I appreciate that but if I want to curl up on the couch and think about how much I miss Hotch, I don't need an audience"  
"So you are going to be thinking about him"  
"I don't see how it's any of your business... Now please open the door and let me out"  
"I'm sorry, Reid. I didn't mean to upset you. Please, let me make it up to you by taking you inside and making sure you're okay... You know JJ and Prentiss will never let me forget it if I dump you on the street corner"

As though realizing it was the only way he was going to be rid of Alvez, Reid reluctantly agreed. They both climbed out of the car and made their way into the building. As they headed up the stairs, Alvez offered to make a cup of coffee for the younger man before leaving but as they reached the landing, a familiar figure was standing outside the door to Reid's apartment.  
He watched with jealousy in his eyes as Reid gasped 'Aaron?' and practically launched himself into the older man's waiting arms. He couldn't help noting the way Hotch took in every bruise on Reid's face, how he reached up and gently touched his cheek and Reid smiled at the tender touch.

"Hotch" Alvez greeted his former boss.  
"Alvez" Hotch replied without taking his eyes off Reid.  
"You're really here" Reid whispered.  
"I'm really here, Spencer" Hotch assured him.  
"I uh I'll be sure to tell Prentiss you made it home okay, Reid" Alvez said.  
"Thanks Luke" Reid replied "I'll see you tomorrow"  
"Tomorrow? You told Prentiss you just wanted the morning off"  
"I'll call her and explain, goodbye Luke"

Then Hotch reached into his pocket and pulled out a key to Reid's apartment and Alvez forced himself to take a step back. There was so much he wanted to say to his former boss, none of it flattering in any way. Hotch slid his arm around Reid's waist and gently guided him inside, the look of utter happiness on Reid's face was like a dagger in Alvez's heart that twisted slowly as the door snapped closed in his face.

**--**

Once inside the apartment and away from the prying eyes of Luke Alvez, Aaron greeted Spencer properly with a deep, passionate kiss. It ended abruptly when Spencer flinched in pain. 

"Oh Spencer" Aaron whispered "you look... I've missed you"  
"I've missed you too" Spencer assured him "and I promise it's not as bad as it looks though that may be a different story under my shirt"

The look of concern intensified in Aaron's eyes and he immediately reached for the buttons on Spencer's shirt but the younger man shifted away with a shy smile. He nodded towards the kitchen and asked Aaron to make him some coffee while he went to shower and change.  
He agreed, somewhat reluctantly, after stealing another kiss from Spencer. He busied himself preparing two cups of coffee while the sound of the shower called to him but he held his ground. It felt strange being in Spencer's apartment again after all these months apart. The last time he'd been here was just after the younger man's prison ordeal. It had been a short, fleeting visit as he'd had to get back to Jack and didn't even let the rest of the team know he'd come back. His return had been just to see Spencer, to make sure he was okay and hadn't been hurt or molested in prison.

"I can't believe you're here" Spencer said as he stepped into the room.  
"JJ called" he admitted "she told me everything and I knew I had to see you, to make sure you were okay"  
"I've missed you so much"

Spencer moved towards Aaron, preparing to hug him but the older man thrust the coffee cup in front of him.  
"Drink up" he said "before it gets cold"  
"Are you okay, Aaron? You seem... different"  
"I guess I'd almost forgotten what it was like to worry about you"  
"I'm fine, Aaron. Really... But it means a lot that you came"  
"I had to see you, to touch you, kiss you"  
"Make love to me?" he asked with hope in his eyes.  
"Are you sure you're up for it? I don't want to hurt you... aggrevate your injuries"  
"It'll be worth it"  
"I'll be gentle"

Spencer downed his coffee in a few mouthfuls then took Aaron's hand and led him into the bedroom. Aaron looked around and noted how nothing in the room had changed since his last visit more than a year ago. They stood before each other and exchanged gentle kisses while slowly undressing the other. Aaron reached up and touched the bruises on Spencer's chest, he could feel the younger man's heart beating beneath his touch and he leaned in to kiss him. The urgency they'd once felt wasn't there, only mutual love and affection.  
Aaron pushed Spencer onto the bed and spent a painstaking amount of time kissing every inch of his skin in a tender gesture of love. They then spent even longer becoming reaqainted with each other. When Aaron's fingers breached him, Spencer blinked back tears as the memories stirred within. Their first time making love had been after his encounter with Cyrus, it was almost fitting to be doing it again now.

Aaron pulled Spencer on top of him as he buried himself deep inside the younger man. Spencer wrapped his arms around Aaron and held him close, they exchanged gentle kissing while moving slowly together as one. It was perfect and beautiful, when Aaron came, Spencer told him he loved him.  
They lay together afterwards, Spencer curled up in Aaron's protective embrace and Spencer spoke the words neither of them wanted to hear but were both thinking.

"We can't go on like this" he said as he reached for Aaron's hand and entwined their fingers.  
"I do love you, Spencer" Aaron assured him.  
"I love you too, Aaron" he replied "but this isn't fair on either of us... We both deserve someone who can be there all the time"  
"I have to be there for Jack"  
"Yes, you do... You should be with him right now, not halfway across the country"  
"It was only an hour flight"  
"It means the world to me that you're here, that you came to be with me but you have to go away again and I can't just wait around for you to just show up again"  
"I know and I was tempted not to come... But we couldn't have this conversation on the phone and I wanted the chance to make love to you one last time"  
"I will always love you, Aaron"  
"Me too, Spencer" he leaned down and placed a kiss to his forehead. "You know I don't have to leave straight away... I could maybe wait an hour or so..."  
"For one more one last time you mean?"  
"Only if you want to though"  
"I want to... I really want to"

**--**

He was certain he was coming across as a stalker, the way he sat in his truck, just watching the doorway to the apartment building, waiting for Hotch to leave. His eyes flickered from the door to the clock and back again. Luke needed to get to work but he wanted, needed, to talk to Hotch and the last time the man had blown back into town he hadn't even bothered to show up at the office to see everyone... No, he'd come back long enough to fuck Reid then disappear again. His behavior was unnacceptable, Reid deserved better!

Luke had no idea what was going on behind closed doors but it was safe to assume they were reconsummating their relationship which made him feel queasy. Hopefully the older man wouldn't have much stamina and would leave sooner rather than later. He gripped the steering wheel and scolded himself, the last thing he wanted to be thinking about was Hotch's prowess in bed.

But sure enough, the door opened and Hotch appeared. Alvez was out of his truck and hurrying towards the man before he stopped to think about how this would look.

"Hey, Hotch!" he called him out.  
Hotch stopped at the sound of his name and turned around.  
"Alvez?" he frowned "you're still here?"  
"We have to talk"  
"Have you really been here the entire time?"  
"That's not the point"  
"Oh I think it is... Are you stalking Spencer? Or just watching me?"

"You're a selfish bastard" Alvez snapped at him.  
"What?"  
"What you're doing to Reid isn't fair. You string him along, let just enough time pass for him to start to move on then you show up out of the blue and seduce him all over again"  
"Seduce him? Did you not see him throw himself at me earlier?"

Aaron noticed the way Alvez flinched at the mention of Spencer's actions.  
"Look, Luke, you don't have to worry about that anymore" Aaron assured him.  
"I'm always going to worry about you hurting Reid, okay?"  
"Because you're in love with him, right?"  
"What?"  
"It's okay if you are... I mean, it's really hard not to be becuase he's... well... he's Spencer"  
"He deserves to be treated right... not as a in town booty call"  
"Luke, I came here today to make sure he was okay after what just happened... and to say a proper goodbye"  
"A what?"  
"You're right, he deserves someone who can be there for him all the time... Not an intermittent 'booty call' as you put it. We talked and gave each other the closure we both needed"  
"You're serious?"  
"I love Spencer but the best thing I can do for him, is let him go. He deserves to be with someone who can make him happier than I ever could"  
"From what he's told me, he was pretty happy with you"

"And I think he'll be equally as happy with you" Aaron admitted.  
"What?"  
"You're outside his apartment, confronting me because you want to protect him, because you love him..." he paused "and I know he loves you too... He just hasn't realized it himself yet... Give him time to process what just happened between me and him. Let him move on from me and he'll come to you, I know he will"  
"Why should I believe you?"  
"Why would I have reason to lie to you?"

Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to Spencer's apartment.  
"Do me a favor and give this to JJ?" he asked. "I don't need it anymore but he didn't think to ask for it back either"  
Alvez shook his head.  
"Keep it" he said to him "throw it in a drawer somewhere and know that you still have that one connection to him"  
"In that case, don't tell any of them I was here" Aaron said "let them think I'm a heartless bastard who didn't come to check on him"  
"They'll never believe that... You love him too much to not come"  
"Then let them think I stopped loving him"  
"But I'll never let him think it, okay?"

Aaron smiled at the idea. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, handed a card with his number on it to Alvez.  
"When the two of you finally... make it" he began "Spencer won't want to tell me because... Well... He just won't want me to know but please just let me know that he's okay and that he's happy, okay?"  
"I will, I promise" Alvez insisted  
"And don't hurt him the way I did"  
"I won't, I promise"

Aaron held out his hand and Luke took it, they shared a handshake and an agreement. Spencer was going to be okay, they were both certain of it.


End file.
